What is the ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the main stabilizing ligaments in the knee that enables people to twist and turn on their knee without giving out. The ACL connects between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) and is located in the middle of the knee.
Mechanism of Injury?
A tear or sprain of the ACL can occur via either a contact injury or a non-contact injury but usually involves a twisting or hyperextension mechanism. This is typically thought of as a sports related injury, with soccer, basketball and football being most common. However, an ACL tear can also occur from other mechanisms of injury, like a traumatic fall or working injury.
Diagnosis and Symptoms of ACL sprain/tear
Typically, there is a twisting type of mechanism and you may feel and potentially hear a popping sound. This is commonly followed by significant pain and swelling in the knee. This results in loss of motion of the knee and difficulty placing weight on the leg. It is important to be evaluated by a qualified physician before resuming normal activities. These injuries can be diagnosed with a physical exam and commonly requires X-rays and possibly advanced imaging with a MRI to determine the full extent of the injury. ACL tears are oftentimes (40-60%) associated with other injuries to the meniscus, cartilage or other ligaments in the knee.
Treatment for an ACL Tear/Sprain
Treatment for an ACL tear/sprain will depend on each patient’s individual needs as well as the severity of the injury. Surgical and non-surgical options do exist depending on the type of activities you are involved in and the type of lifestyle you live. This can involve non-operative treatment with physical therapy, targeted exercises to regain range of motion and quadricep strength, and gradual return back to an exercise program. Some individuals will require surgical management to restore their knee function. This is usually reserved for those individuals that want to play a pivoting type of sport again and to be able to return them back to high level athletics.
For more information, please consider the following link that was produced by the AAOS.
https://orthoinfo.org/en/diseases–conditions/anterior-cruciate-ligament-acl-injuries